Extra Services

Two youths escape Okinawa juvenile detention center

Date Posted: 2003-08-02

Two 16-year-old boys escaped the Okinawa juvenile detention center in Okinawa City, Monday, by scaling over the 2.4-meter high wire fence that circles the compound.

According to center officials, the youths had a sports festival on Monday. While taking a shower after finishing the event, the two who the officials describe as best friends said that they needed to go to toilet located inside the compoundís athletic hall.

After the two failed to return within a few minutes, a teacher went to investigate, and discovered that the two were scaling up the fence. The teacher blew a whistle but the two were already over and ran away.

According to officials, both were wearing white sport shirts, yellow short pants and brown slippers. One of them is 171 cm tall and weights 55 kg while the other is 167 tall and weights 65 kg. Both have been in the center since July last year, and are from the southern part of the island. Their names have not been released since they are under age.